VDO Oil Temp Gauge

[No More Landy]

Anybody know where the best place is to get a VDO gauge in RSA, or is it better to shop online ?

I tried Diesel Electric but they don't have any stock in RSA and never heard of the M18x1.5 sender (VDO 323-064)

I was looking for an Oil Temp Gauge to install in the oil relief valve plug hole which apparently has the M18 x 1.5mm pitch thread .

If anyone has bought online, if they have a preferred supplier to suggest.

[retrovan]

If you do not get the M18x1.5 sensor plug, you can get a bolt and drill and tap the correct thread into it and use that as a reducer.

Job Done

You get some good gauges at scrap yards as they take them out of old cars, you never know, you may get lucky.

There are a lot of gauge sellers advertising in the back of The Car magazine

Herman

[sean]

VDO guages can be purchased from Goodhope spares in Brackenfell. If they don't have stock, they will order for you.

Do not tamper with the oil pressure relief valve. Rather purchase on of those sump plates with the oil drain hole in the middle. You can purchase the vdo adapter to fit the sensor in there.

Remember, you don't have to use an oil temp gauge, you can use a water one too. Normally water temp is up to 120 degrees, 150 degrees on oil temp guages. Your beetle engine should never be going near 120 degrees.

[Tony Z]

Autozone in Epping are VDO agents

[spicydave]

I have a Bay cluster with a factory VDO temp guage if interested

[No More Landy]

VDO guages can be purchased from Goodhope spares in Brackenfell. If they don't have stock, they will order for you.

Do not tamper with the oil pressure relief valve. Rather purchase on of those sump plates with the oil drain hole in the middle. You can purchase the vdo adapter to fit the sensor in there.

Remember, you don't have to use an oil temp gauge, you can use a water one too. Normally water temp is up to 120 degrees, 150 degrees on oil temp guages. Your beetle engine should never be going near 120 degrees.

Funny you should say that - I have a spare water Temp VDO gauge that I took out of my Series III Landy before I sold her.
As far as the relief valve is concerned, I would assume the sender was designed the same length as the plug that pushes against the spring, hence not changing the relief pressure in any way ?

I will take out the plug and make up a mod with an M18 bolt to suite my existing water gauge sender to not change the spring setting.

[dixtoy]

Sorry for the hijack. I have my oil pressure and temp gage where the light sender goes. Will I get an accurate reading there?



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[Tony Z]

pressure will be accurate, temp may or may not be. If the temp sensor isnt in the oil flow, it could be reading stagnant oil temp which might not reflect the proper oil temp

[dixtoy]

pressure will be accurate, temp may or may not be. If the temp sensor isnt in the oil flow, it could be reading stagnant oil temp which might not reflect the proper oil temp

Thanks Tony. Just wondering with it being a baja with the engine open, should I be worried much about oil temp? As it is it never goes over 70 degrees

[Tony Z]

as long as you are running a nice oil then I wouldnt worry about the oil temp.
The only reason I use a temp gauge in Angrrr is to tell me when the oil is warm enough to hammer it. My 2110 in my bus doesnt have any gauges at all, just the stock oil idiot light

[No More Landy]

Anyone have a picture of the relief valve bottom plug and length so I can make up my new fitting with thread for smaller sender unit before taking mine out.

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[fig]

Anyone have a picture of the relief valve bottom plug and length so I can make up my new fitting with thread for smaller sender unit before taking mine out.

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I agree with Sean that this is probably not the best place to put the sender. Regardless of any potential issues you might create for a critical part (the oil pressure relief valve), I can't see how you would get a correct reading from the relief valve plug, as it's not in direct contact with the oil flow. Above the plug you will find a spring topped by a small piston. Those two items will stand between your sender and the oil whose temperature you are trying to measure. It doesn't make sense to me.

[No More Landy]

Anyone have a picture of the relief valve bottom plug and length so I can make up my new fitting with thread for smaller sender unit before taking mine out.

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I agree with Sean that this is probably not the best place to put the sender. Regardless of any potential issues you might create for a critical part (the oil pressure relief valve), I can't see how you would get a correct reading from the relief valve plug, as it's not in direct contact with the oil flow. Above the plug you will find a spring topped by a small piston. Those two items will stand between your sender and the oil whose temperature you are trying to measure. It doesn't make sense to me.

Does the relief not always stay open a bit to dump exess flow of oil ?

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[sean]

It will, but not to the bottom of it where you want to put your sensor below the piston and spring.....

[No More Landy]

I just saw that guys overseas seem to suggest installing in relief valve port due to constant oil flow. Maybe I am not understanding properly where exactly the sensor is being fitted.

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